Stepping Into The Light (Hidden Under Darkness Sequel)

Chapter 5

**Fred’s POV**

I sit with my arms around George’s shoulders. He’s got his head in his hands and he can’t even look at me.

In other words:

This.

Is.

Bad.

“Look, mate, can you tell me what happened?” I ask. He breathes heavily and I know that he’s almost ready to open up. I let him take his time and just wait. Eventually he sits up and looks at me. He’s dry eyed, but still looks miserable. As he tells me I try to hide how angry I am. I don’t know what to say. He finishes and ruffles his hair. My hands are shaking and I try to control myself, but-

“What a slut!”

George laughs dryly.

“I sort of agree,” he sighs, “I feel so… Hollow… And used…”

“Not that I don’t side with you entirely,” I say, “but why did you let her?”

“I don’t know,” he groans, “I thought she’d re-thought us…”

“Oh, man,” I shake my head, “girls don’t think, don’t you know that?”

He laughs and gives me a little nudge with his shoulder.

“Should we go and visit Dad?” I suggest. He grins at me.

“Yeah,” he nods, “let’s go.”

**Fairlight’s POV**

My wrist is swollen and covered in purple bruises. I tried bandaging it, but the bandage kept falling loose. I try to flex it slightly and gasp in pain.

“FAIRLIGHT! FAIRLIGHT!”

I hear Anastasia and Velvet clattering up the stairs and quickly pull on a long sleeved shirt that will hide my wrist. They burst in, their hair covered in snow and their cheeks bright pink. The throw their arms around me.

“We’ve missed you so much!” Anastasia cries.

“Fred wrote and told us about the kittens!” Velvet says, “I can’t believe Zesty had kittens!”

“Is this them?” Anastasia asks, kneeling down with the kittens, “oh, they’re so sweet!”

“Have you named them?” Velvet asks, picking up Shimmer.

“The tortoise shell one is Zesty II,” I tell them, “the white one is Princess and the black one is Shimmer.”

“Shimmer and Princess?” Velvet laughs, “wow, you’ve gone soft!”

“I didn’t name them,” I huff.

“Who did?” Anastasia asks, “Ginny?”

“No,” I choke a bit, “George did.”

The turn around and look at me. Darn sisters being so perceptive.

“What happened?” Velvet asked.

“Nothing,” I reply. Velvet hands Shimmer to me and picks up Zesty. She sits down beside me on the bed while Ana sits at our feet with Princess.

“Talk,” Velvet says.

I spill everything, trying to ignore the look of horror on Ana’s face and Velvet’s disapproval.

“I don’t know what to say to you,” Velvet says.

“It’s not like I got out of it Scott free!” I exclaim, “look at my wrist!”

I show them, but they barely acknowledge it.